IndieWire
The Best American Remakes of Foreign Films, from ‘The Magnificent Seven’ to ‘Some Like It Hot’
By Wilson Chapman
Sept 17, 2024
Although Americanized versions of international cinema get a bad rap, some show the value of an intelligent cultural translation.
Remakes get a bad rap, and frankly, it’s sometimes deserved. At their worst, remakes can be pointless exercises in flattening an interesting film into something broader and less singular. Whether it’s a shot-for-shot remake like Gus Van Sant’s notorious “Psycho” redux or a misguided switch-up like the execrable 2012 “Total Recall,” many remakes offer nothing of value.
These issues are often only magnified when an American director puts their spin on a film that originated outside the States. From overly sentimental mush like “CODA” or “The Upside” to dismal J-horror remakes like “Apartment 1303 3D” (remember that? No, we didn’t either) to Will Ferrell starring in a broad comedic take on “Force Majeure” called “Downhill,” these international remakes often have nothing to offer compared to their originator except for putting the story in English. It brings to mind Bong Joon-ho’s famous quote about the “one-inch tall barrier of subtitles,” as 90 percent of the time, you’re better off finding the original.
And yet, for all of the bad remakes out there, there are some that more than justify their existence. Some rare ones even go beyond that and have a decent case for being superior to the original. The good remakes bring something new to the table — a memorable performance, a new wrinkle in the story — to distinguish them from the original. But the greatest add a distinctly American perspective — a milieu, a vibe — that makes the story feel different, even if the beats play the same.
With “Speak No Evil,” an American take on the 2022 Danish horror film, out in theaters now, IndieWire is looking at the American remakes that deserve appreciation. To qualify for the list, we excluded certain films that are based on the same source material of a foreign movie (see David Fincher’s “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,” which is different enough from the 2009 Swedish adaptation of the original novel that it never feels like a straight-up remake). That said, read on for 10 of the most excellent American remakes of foreign films.
‘Scarlet Street’ (1945)
What it’s a remake of: Fritz Lang’s film noir Scarlet Street is adapted from the French play La Chienne by Georges de La Fouchardière, which Jean Renoir had previously adapted into a 1931 film. Both versions concern a meek cashier and painter who falls for a beautiful young woman who uses his art for her own gain, although Lang transplants it to 1934 New York.
Why it’s great: Both versions of ‘La Chienne’ are exquisite tales of betrayal and delusion. While the Renoir version is superior thanks to lead Michel Simon’s performance, ‘Scarlet Street’ is well worth seeking out and fascinating in how it twists the bitterly ironic drama of the original into a noir-tinted story of hazy morality.
‘The Man Who Knew Too Much’ (1956)
What it’s a remake of In 1934, Alfred Hitchcock made a spy thriller called ‘The Man Who Knew Too Much’ in Britain. It starred Leslie Banks and Edna Best as two parents tracking down a cable of spies that kidnapped their daughter during their Switzerland vacation. Twenty years later, Hitchcock made another film called ‘The Man Who Knew Too Much,’ starring James Stewart and Doris Day as two parents tracking down a cable of spies that kidnapped their son during their Morocco vacation.
Why it’s great: Yes, the premise and title of both Men Who Knew Too Much are the same, and the movies have a similar pulpy, propulsive, semi-humorous tone. What’s thrilling about watching both is seeing how Hitchcock evolved as a writer and storyteller in the decades that passed, possessing greater control over pacing and the tight narrative that made him a legend. Hitchcock preferred the remake, stating, ‘Let’s say the first version is the work of a talented amateur and the second was made by a professional.’ Plus, the remake spawned the famous ‘Que Sera, Sera,’ one of the more successful songs ever written for cinema.
‘Some Like It Hot’ (1959)
It’s a remake of Richard Pottier’s ‘Fanfare of Love,’ about two unemployed male musicians who disguise themselves as women to get jobs with an all-female orchestra. 1959’s ‘Some Like It Hot’ casts Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon in the central cross-dressing roles, adds a plot about the two needing to leave town because of a mafia hit, and casts a vivacious Marilyn Monroe in one of her most iconic roles.
Why it’s great: ‘Some Like It Hot’ isn’t just one of the best remakes ever; it’s one of the best movies ever, period. Billy Wilder’s masterpiece sex comedy is a riot from start to finish, with breathless pacing, a perfect cast, endlessly quotable lines, and an ending that may be the greatest in film history. ‘Fanfare of Love’ is fun, but there’s no competition here regarding which of the two films ranks superior.
‘The Magnificent Seven’ (1960)
It’s a remake of Seven Samurai, Akira Kurosawa’s iconic 1954 epic about a gang of ronin protecting a small village from a group of murderous bandits. John Sturges’ The Magnificent Seven transplants that story to Old West Mexico, replacing the samurai with hired gunslingers.
Why it’s great: It’s only fitting that ‘Seven Samurai,’ an adventure film that had a massive hand in influencing American action cinema in the years afterward, would get a full-fledged Western remake. And luckily, the results live up to the original. While it’s not quite on its originator’s standards, ‘The Magnificent Seven’ is cracking entertainment, a sturdy, old-fashioned Western that dazzles thanks to the strength of its leads — particularly Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen as the leaders of the unlikely heroes.
‘Victor/Victoria’ (1982)
It’s a remake of the 1933 German comedy film ‘Victor and Victoria’ by director Reinhold Schünzel. Both the 1933 film and 1982 film from director Blake Edwards concern a woman who performs as a cabaret act, pretending to be a man impersonating a woman. Victor/Victoria casts Julie Andrews in the lead role, and thus obviously makes it a musical.
Why it’s great: Did you hear the words ‘Julie Andrews’ and ‘Musical?’ There are few cinematic spectacles more enjoyable than seeing Andrews sing her heart out, and she’s particularly brilliant in ‘Victor/Victoria,’ strutting her stuff to ‘Le Jazz Hot.’ Add in the subversive inherent queerness of the premise, Andrews’ fizzy chemistry with James Garner as a Chicago mobster confusingly drawn to this beguiling ‘man,’ and many great costumes, and you have the best musical film of the ’80s.
‘Breathless’ (1983)
What it’s a remake of: Jean-Luc Goodard’s 1960 ‘Breathless,’ a pivotal film in the French New Wave movement, stars Jean-Paul Belmondo as a French criminal named Michel and Jean Seberg as his American girlfriend as they wander through Paris and evade the cops investigating Michel for murder. Jim McBride’s neo-noir take sets itself in sunny Los Angeles and flips the script a bit: this time, the criminal is the American (Richard Gere), and the girlfriend is the French woman (Valérie Kaprisky).
Why it’s great: McBride’s 1983 ‘Breathless’ can’t hold a candle to Godard’s in terms of cultural impact and innovation. But as a pop culture-saturated little thriller, ‘Breathless’ feels like a predecessor for the films of Quentin Tarantino, who named himself a massive fan of the feature. Sexy and stylish, the American ‘Breathless’ feels distinct from the original and quintessentially American in its utter excess. It features a genuinely daring and off-the-rails performance from Gere that you can’t take your eyes away from.
‘Down and Out in Beverly Hills’ (1986)
What it’s a remake of: Jean Renoir’s 1932 comedy of manners ‘Boudu Saved from Drowning,’ about a street tramp taken in by a bourgeois couple who attempts, unsuccessfully, to mold the man into a model upper-class citizen. ‘Down and Out in Beverly Hills’ from director Paul Mazursky updates the plot for late ’80s Regan-era Los Angeles, featuring Nick Nolte as the homeless man and Bette Midler and Richard Dreyfus as the rich couple that gives him a home.
Why it’s great: Weirder than it seems on the surface, ‘Down and Out in Beverly Hills’ is a far broader farce than the original Renoir film, and doesn’t necessarily have the depth to match it — it’s cop-out of an ending doesn’t fully resonate, either. Still, Nolte, Midler, and Dreyfus give terrific comedic performances that make the movie a riot, and help its amusing look at the materialistic Los Angeles neighborhood sting.
‘The Birdcage’ (1996)
What it’s a remake of: Elaine May’s screenplay for 1996’s ‘The Birdcage’ credits the 1978 Édouard Molinaro French comedy ‘La Cage aux Folles,’ which itself is adapted from a 1973 play by Jean Poirat (there’s also a 1983 Broadway musical, to boot). Each adaptation of the story focuses on a gay couple that owns a nightclub and has lovingly raised a straight son, only to be forced back into the closet when the son arrives back home intending to marry the daughter of ultra-conservative parents. The 1996 film from Mike Nichols moves the action from Paris to South Beach, Florida, and stars Robin Williams and Nathan Lane as the main couple.
Why it’s great: Regardless of the version, ‘La Cage Aux Folles’ is a wonderfully moving story about love, family, and self-acceptance. ‘The Birdcage’ particularly shines because it features Williams and Lane in the central roles, building a believable and sweet chemistry as two committed partners who love their son. Add in scene-stealing performances from the supporting cast (especially Hank Azaria as the couple’s live-in housekeeper), and ‘The Birdcage’ resonates as one of the best LGBT films of its decade.
‘Solaris’ (2002)
It’s a remake of one of the most celebrated science fiction films of all time. Andrei Tarkovsky’s original Solaris focuses on a crew orbiting a mysterious oceanic planet that seems to have an emotional power over them. In 2002, Steven Soderbergh made his adaptation of the original 1961 Stanis?aw Lem novel, with George Clooney playing the psychologist’s main character.
Why it’s great: Hewing slightly closer to the original novel (Lem hated both versions, for the record), Soderbergh’s ‘Solaris’ still keeps the focus shifted from the vast and alien ocean of Solaris to the psychological relationship between its tortured characters. Soderbergh’s slicker direction substitutes in for Tarkovsky’s more heady approach, making for a more digestible — but maybe more moving — dive into the human mind.
‘The Departed’ (2006)
What it’s a remake of: ‘Infernal Affairs,’ a 2002 Hong Kong thriller directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak. In the original, Andy Lau plays a triad member who becomes a mole in the Hong Kong Police Force, while Tony Leung plays a cop who goes undercover in the same triad in a story of displacement and paranoia. Martin Scorsese’s remake, which scored the director his first Oscar, transplants the story to Boston and loosely bases its characters on the real-world Winter Hill Gang. Matt Damon plays the mobster who infiltrates the police, while Leonardo DiCaprio plays an undercover cop infiltrating the mob.
Why it’s great: ‘The Departed’ is not Scorsese’s best film and the one he should have gotten his Oscar for; not even close. Still, the thriller features a killer cast (Jack Nicholson, Alec Baldwin, Vera Farmiga, Martin Sheen, and Mark Wahlberg round the ensemble out) doing some of their best work. It is riveting and deeply investing as a story of moral conflict and deep corruption. It succeeds as psychological drama and crackerjack entertainment, which is no easy feat.
